peel

keep an eye peeled (for something or someone)

To remain vigilant or carefully watchful (for something or someone). They should be arriving any minute, so keep an eye peeled.Keep an eye peeled for a Christmas present we could give your mother.Keep an eye peeled for the health inspector, we heard he'll be doing a surprise inspection someday soon.

keep (one's) eye(s) peeled (for something or someone)

To remain vigilant or carefully watchful (for something or someone). They should be arriving any minute, so keep your eyes peeled.Keep your eye peeled for a birthday gift we could give your mother.Tell everyone to keep their eyes peeled for the health inspector. We heard she'll be doing a surprise inspection someday soon.

peel off

1. To forcibly remove the outermost layer of something, such as skin, paint, rind, etc. Tommy! Stop peeling the bark off those trees this instant!That scrape is never going to heal if you keep peeling off the scab!

2. To separate from something else. He peeled off the sweat-stained clothes and jumped in the shower.Let me peel a sticky note off for you so you can jot down the number.

3. To deviate or depart from a group's course or direction of movement. When he saw his parents approaching, Tom peeled off from his friends and ducked down a side alley.Why is that one plane peeling off from the rest? Is the pilot OK?

4. Of a car, to accelerate to a very high speed after being stationary. After ramming into my rear bumper, the other car just peeled off and sped away out of view.

keep one's eyes open (for someone or something)

and keep one's eyes peeled (for someone or something)

Fig. to remain alert and watchful for someone or something. (The entry with peeled is informal. Peel refers to moving the eyelids back. See also keep an eye out (for someone or something).) I'm keeping my eyes open for a sale on winter coats.Please keep your eyes peeled for Mary. She's due to arrive here any time.Okay. I'll keep my eyes open.

keep one's eyes peeled

peel off

(from something) [for one or more airplanes] to separate from a group of airplanes. The lead plane peeled off from the others, and soon the rest followed. The lead plane peeled off and dived into the clouds.

keep one's eyes open

Also, keep one's eyes peeled or skinned . Be watchful and observant. For example, We should keep our eyes open for a change in the wind's direction, or Keep your eyes peeled for the teacher. The first phrase dates from the late 1800s; the second and third, both colloquial and alluding to the lids not covering the eyes, date from the mid-1800s and 1830s, respectively.

peel off

1. Remove an outer layer of skin, bark, paint, or the like; also, come off in thin strips or pieces. For example, Peeling off birch bark can kill the tree, or Paint was peeling off the walls. [Late 1500s]

2. Remove or separate, as in Helen peeled off her gloves and got to work, or Al peeled off a ten-dollar bill and gave it to the driver. [First half of 1900s]

3. Also, peel away. Depart from a group, as in Ruth peeled off from the pack of runners and went down a back road. This expression originated in air force jargon during World War II and was used for an airplane or pilot that left flight formation, a sight that suggested the peeling of skin from a banana.

slip on a banana skin

or

slip on a banana peel

BRITISH, INFORMAL

COMMON If an important or famous person slips on a banana skin or slips on a banana peel, they say or do something that makes them look stupid and causes them problems. Most of the nation would enjoy seeing mighty Manchester United slip on a banana skin in front of millions.You can be walking across Westminster Bridge full of noble thoughts at one moment and slipping on a banana peel the next. Note: You can also call something that causes someone to look stupid or have problems a banana skin or a banana peel. Insiders watched in horrified fascination as the President lurched from one banana peel to another. Note: Comedies and cartoons traditionally show a character slipping on a banana skin, falling over, and looking foolish.

keep your eyes peeled

If you keep your eyes peeled, you watch very carefully for something or someone. Keep your eyes peeled for a parking space.We're looking for Sally so keep your eyes peeled. Note: You can also keep your eyes skinned. I doubt if she'll come back here, but keep your eyes skinned anyway. Note: This expression refers to not blinking and so not missing anything that happens, however quick. The skin or peel of the eyes are the eyelids.

slip on a baˈnana skin

peel off

v.

1. To strip some outer layer, surface, or covering away from something in thin strips or pieces: I peeled off the wrapping from my new CD case and took out the CD. You have to peel the skin off before you eat a banana.

2. To come off from a surface in thin strips or pieces: My skin peeled off after I got a sunburn. The labels peeled off from the file folders.

3. To take off clothes, especially when they fit tightly: It was so hot, we peeled off our jackets. Eventually, the campers peeled their shoes and socks off as they sat on the beach.

4. To leave a flight formation in order to land or make a dive. Used of an aircraft: The plane peeled off from the rest of the formation and did a trick.

5. To leave a group and move in a different direction: The members who voted against me peeled off and formed their own school.

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